Knitting machine



' M. zuvuc Sept. 22, 1931.

KNITTlNG MACHINE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1930 l vwantoz N 3 hid M. ZIMIC Sept. 22 1931.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1930' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 anoentoz Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES MICHAEL ZIMIC, OF BID'GEWOOD, NEW YORK KNITTING MACHINE Application filed larch 19,1930. Serial I0. 438,845.

This invention relates .to knitting machines of the type shown and described in my U. S. Pat. #1,669,032, dated May 8th, 1928, and more particularly to the pattern chain operl ating mechanism and to the means for controlling said operating mechanism.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a knitting machine employing a pair of pattern chain drums, with means for alternately operating the said pattern chain drums and with further means to stop the operation of both of the said drums to ermit the machine to knit plain stitches or which it is set.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knitting machine of this character with short attern chains on the said drums and means or operating the said drums and chains as often as desired.

A further object of the invention is provide pattern chain operating control means and a. counting mechanism in connection therewith.

Another object is to produce a device of 25 the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplify- 0 ing the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative,

rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

, which Figure 1 is a fragmental top plan view of a knittlng machine embodying my invention, F1 ure 2 1s a sectional view taken on line Fi%re 3 is a similar view taken on line 33 ig. 1 and Figlpre 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 ig 1 Referring now to the drawings in detail 10 indicates the frame of the machine which supports a short shaft 11 provided with a pair of pulle s 12 only one of which is shown, the said pu leys being connected by an endless .belt 13 for operating a needle carriage 'as and shown in my U. S. Patent second like gear 23 on a shaft 24 rotatably iupported in bearings 25 and 26 on the frame The present machine like the one illustrated in my Patent #1,699,032 is provided with the stationary needle plate 27 and a shiftable needle plate 28 adapted to be shiftso ed or racked by means of a racking device 29 mounted on a vertical shaft 30 supported in an auxiliary frame 31. The said racking device comprises a racking cam 32, a ratchet wheel 35 (see Figures 1 and 3) and a needle opening cam 34. The ratchet wheel comprises a disk 35 provided with six upstanding pins 36 which are adapted to be enga ed by a pawl 37 carried by a strap 38 around an eccentric 39 on the shaft 24 to revolve or actuate the shaft 30 and the cams 32 and 34. A stop dog 40 engages the ratchet wheel pins 36 in the usual manner.

An arm 42 pivoted at 43 on the frame31 is actuated by the needle opening cam 34. The said arm 42 is pivoted at its free end to a link 44 which is pivoted to a needle opener 45.

The racking cam 34 operates and is similar to the cam 24 in the aforementioned patent.

A link 50 (see Figures 1 and 3) pivoted at' 51 is connected to the free end of an arm 52 by means of a pin 53 which also carries a pawl 54, the arm 52 being connected at itsopposite end by means of a strap 55 to an eccentric 56 on the shaft 24.

The said pawl 54 is provided at its free end with a roller 57 which rides over the top of a counting chain 58 suspended from a sprocket 59 rotatably mounted on a shaft 60 rotatably journals-d in a bearing, 61 on the auxiliary frame 31. Secured to the sprocket 59 is a large ratchet wheel 62 and secured to the shaft 60 is a small ratchet wheel 63 both of which ratchets are adapted to be actuated by the pawl 54 as will presently be described. The counting chain 58 may comprise a number of groups of high links 65 joined by low links 66 or alternate high and low links if desired. On each reciprocation of the arm 52 vthe pawl 54" will engage the large ratchet wheel 62 and revolve same and the counting chain sprocket the distance of one tooth and as long as the roller 57 rides on the high links 65 the pawl will only engage the said ratchet 62, as the said pawl normally engages only the upper portion of the teeth of the ratchet 62, but when the said roller 57 drops down on top of the low link'66 the pawl will also drop and enga and revo ve the shaft 60 the-distance of one ratchet tooth.

Secured to the shaft 60 there is a sprocket wheel 70 from which is suspended a chain 71 made up of high links 72 low links 73 and internfe'diate links 7 4. A roller 75 on one end of a lever 76 (Figures 1, 2 and 4) is at all i in said slot may be engaged by either a pin or times in engagement with the said chain 71. The said lever 76 is pivoted at 77-, straddles a shaft 78 by means of a vertically disposed slot 79 and is provided with a horizontal slot 80 near its end opposite the roller 75. The

roller 81 on a lever 82 pivoted at 83 and in engagementv at the front end thereof with a roller 84 on a pawl 85 and in engagement at the rear thereof with a roller 86 on a pawl 87. The pawl 85 is provided with a strap 88 encircling an eccentric 89 on the shaft 24, and

and the drum 100-carries pattern chains 102,

the pawl 87 has a strap 90 engaging an eccentric 91 on the said shaft 24.

Shafts 95 and 96 are respectively gg-, vided with rotatable ratchets 97 and 9 8,3j' i61r" engagement with their respective pawls -"85 and 87, and the said shafts are also provided with sprocket drums 99 and 100 secured to theratchets 97 and 98 respectivelyf The sprocket drum 99 carries pattern chains .101

the'said chains being made up of. high links 103 and low links 104 arranged in a predetermined sequence.

The operation of the pattern chains, counting, and controlling means therefor is as follows: On every forward stroke of the eccentrics, all of the pawls carried by the said ecthe small or low ratchet wheel 63 or rotate the large ratchet 62 in counter-clockwise direction and onthe return stroke of the parts either one of the attern chain drum sprockets 97 or 98 will eengaged bytheir respective fpawls 85 or 87, depending upon the type 0 link of the controller chain 71, the roller 75 rests on. If the said roller rests upon the high links 7 2 the ratchet 97 will be engaged by the pawl 85 to rotate the pattern chain drum and the chains thereon in clockwise direction. When the roller 7 5 drops off the high links 72 and on to the intermediate links 74, the lever 7 6 which is under tension of a spring 77a will operate the lever 82 by means of the pin and slot connection 80 and 81 to disengage the pawl 85 from its ratchet 97 and to likewise keep the pawl 87 from engaging the ratchet 98 so as to permit the machine to knit a uniform stitch for which it is set. This uniform knitting will continue until the said roller 75 drops off the intermediate links and on to the low links 61 at which time the lever 82 will be actuated to permit the pawl 87 to engage the ratchet 98 to operate the pattern chain shaft 96, and at the same time to keep the pawl 85 out of engagement with the I ratchet 97.

If we now assume that the counting chain comprises series of high link sections, each section consisting of three high links, 65 and the section joined together by a low link, 66 and if we further assume that the controller chain consists of ten high links 72, twenty intermediate links 74 and twelve low links 73, then the following sequence of operations would ensue.

The pawl 54 will operate the large ratchet wheel 62 three times and both the large and small wheels 62 and 63 once, for every high link 72 on the controller chain 71 and for the ten high links on the said controller chain the ratchet wheel 97 and pattern chain drum a complete design, after which the same de.

sign would repeat itself.

The racking pawl 37 is normally held out of engagement with the pins 36 by an extension on a lever arm 111 secured at one end to a short shaft 112 pivotally maintained in the auxiliary frame 31. A second arm 113 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft 112 and has pivotally secured thereto one endof a link .114: which at its opposite end is secured "to a lever arm 115'made fast to a jacquard NVhenever a low link on either of the pattern chains 101' or 102 come in contact with rollers 117 or 118 respectively on the bell crank lever 116 pivotally mounted on a shaft 78 or lever arm 119 similarly mounted on a shaft 120, the lever arm 115 drops down, which action swings the arm 111 down and permits the pawl 37 to engage a tooth or pin 36 to rack the needle plate 27; A high link on the said pattern chains again disengages the pawl rom the pins 36. I

A jacquard tensioning lever 121, a color controlling lever 122 and a stitch regulating lever 123 and complimentary levers 124, 125 and 126 are loosely mounted on their respective shafts 78 and 120, each of the said levers being provided with a roller similar to the roller 117 and 118. The action of these levers need not here-be described in detail. Spring tensioned stop dogs 130 and 131 are employed in connection with the ratchet wheels 62 and 63 and act similarly to the stop dogs .132 on the racking means, which action is described in my U. S. Patent No. 1,669,032.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that I have provided a novel pattern chain controlling means for knitting machines, and an automatic counting mechanism in connection therewith, the said pattern chains being of comparatively short length and their action controlled by a chain of different shaped links which chain constitutes a portion of the controlling and counting means.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knitting machine, two pattern chains, a controlling chain, means for periodically driving the controlling chain, said means compnsing a shaft in operative association with the controlling chain, a fast and a loose ratchet wheel on the shaft, a reciprocative pawl normally in engagement with the loose ratchet wheel, a counting chain on the loose ratchet wheel, low links on the said chain to permit the pawl to periodically engage the fast ratchet wheel, pattern chain drlving means, actuating means for said pattern chain driving means, and means on the controlling chain' for periodically engaging the said actuating means with either of the said driving means to drive their respective pattern chains 2. In a knitting machine, two pattern chains, a controlling chain, means for periodically driving the controlling chain, said meanscomprising a shaft in operative association with the controlling chain, a fast and a loose ratchet wheel on the shaft, a reciprocative pawl normally in engagement with the loose ratchet wheel, a counting chain on the loose ratchet wheel, low links on the said chain to permit the pawl to periodically engage the fast ratchet wheel, pattern chain driving means, actuating means for said pattern chain driving means, means on the con-' trolling chain for periodically engaging the said actuating means with either of the said driving means ,to drive their respective pat: tern chains and means on the controlling chain for periodically disengaging the actuating means from both of the said pattern chain drivin means. 1

' 3. In a knitting machine, a pair of pattern chains, a shaft, a ratchet loosely mounted on said shaft, a counting 7 chain on the said ratchet, a smaller ratchet securedto the shaft,

a pawl normally the larger ratchet, a sprocket wheel secured to the s aft, a chain on the sprocketwheel, a ratchet for each of the pattern chains, a awl for each of the said pattern chainratc ets,

means for reciprocating all of the pawls, means controlled by the sprocket chain for engaging either of the pattern chain ratchet pawls with their respective ratchets, and means on the counting chain and large ratchet pawl to permit the said enga e the smaller ratchet for the purpose speci ed.

4. In a knitting machine, a periodically driven shaft, a sprocket wheel on the said shafta controller chain carried by said sprocket, a pair of shafts, a drum on each shaft, a pair of pattern chains suspended a pawl for each of a pair of pattern each of said pata shaft, a sprocket wheel fast on controller chain on the sprocket in engagement only with pawl to periodically means for reciprocating from the said drums, a ratchet for each of the wheel, means in operative engagement with the controller chain and pattern chain driving means for controlling said driving means, means for periodically operating the controller chain, said means comprising a ratchet wheel fast on the shaft, a ratchet wheel loose on the shaft, a counting chain on the loose ratchet, a pawl normally in en agement with the loose ratchet only, means for reciprocating the pawl to rotate the said ratchet, and means on the pawl in engagement with means on the counting chain for periodically engaging the ratchet fast to the shaft.

6. In a knitting machine, a shaft, a ratchet wheel loosely mounted on the shaft, a sprocket wheel on the ratchet wheel, a countingchain on the sprocket wheel comprising a series of sections of high links joined by single low links, a second ratchet wheel secured to the shaft, a second sprocket wheel fast on the shaft, a controller chain comprising high and low links suspended from the said second sprocket wheel, a reciprocative the controller chain multiplied by the high pawl adapted to operate the first mentioned links of the counting chain plus one.

rachet wheel on every forward stroke of In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my the said pawl and, to operate the second signature.

5 ratchet wheel when the low link on the count- MICHAEL ZIMIC. ing chain engages the said pawl, a pair of pattern chains and means for driving each of the said pattern chains, said driving means being controlled by the high and low links of the controller chain, the number of links on t 7 one of the said pattern chains being directly proportional to the number of high links on the controller chain multiplied by the number of high links in a single section of high links plus a low link on the counting chain,

and the number of links on the other chain being directly roportional to the number of low links von t e controller chain multiplied by the number of high links plus a low link on the counter chain.

7. In a knitting machine, a shaft, a sprocket loosely mounted on the said shaft, a counting chain suspended from said s rocket, the

said chain comprising a series 0 sections of high links joined by a single low link, means in operative engagement with the said chain for driving the said sprocket about said shaft when in engagement with the high links and to rotate the shaft when the said means is in 3- engagement the low link, a pair of pat- I tern chains, means for independently driving each of said pattern chains, a controller chain comprising a predetermined number of high and low links driven by the shaft, w and means operated by the said high and low 0 controller 'chain" links for controlling the pattern chain driving means, the number of links on one of the pattren chains being a multiple of the number of high links on the controller chain multiplied by the number of a i .105

' high links plus a single low link on the count ing chain, and the number of links on the other pattern chain being a multiple of the number of low links on the controller chainv I multiplied by the number of high links plus no a single low link on the counting chain.

8. In a knitting machine, a counting chain, sections of high links in the said'chain, low- 60 links joining the said sections of high links,

a controller chain, means in operative en- 3 in gagement with the counting chain for periodically driving the controller chain, high and low links on the controller chain, a pair of i v 55 pattern chains, one of which is controlled by I I i ,120

the high links on the controller chain, and

the other by the low links of the said controller chains, the number of links on the pattern chain controlled by the high links of W the controller chain being in a predetermined ratio to the number of high links on the con- I troller chain multiplied by the high links on,

the counting chain plus one, and the numberof links on the other pattern chain being proportional to the number of low links in v 

